Hosiery package and method and means for forming same



Jul 6, 1965 c. E. M CARTHY ETAL 3,193,137

HOSIERY PACKAGE AND METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMING SAME Filed July 5, 19623 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN T ORS CHARLES 5. McCIRTHYG BY ANDREW M-.SC/l/Y/VE'LL ATTORNE y u y 1965 c. E. M CARTHY ETAL 3,193,137

HOSIERY PACKAGE AND-METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMING SAME Filed July 3, 1962s Sheets-Sheet 2 ri f - INVENTORS CHARLES E. McC/I/iT/7'V5 y ANDREW n4JC'A VIVELL July 6, 1965 c. E. M CARTHY ETAL 3,193,137

HOSIERY PACKAGE AND METHOD AND MEANS FOR FORMING SAME Filed July 5, 19623, Sheets-Sheet 5 7 Fig:6

INVENTORS CHARLES .McCARTHV 6 By AIVMEW m SLANNELL United States Patent3,193,137 HOSIERY PACKAGE AND METHOD AND MEANS FOR FGRMING SAME CharlesE. McCarthy, Tenafly, N..ll., and Andrew W. Scannell, Western, Conn,assignors to Leath, McCarthy 8: Maynard, Inc., Burlington, N.C., acorporation of North Carolina Filed July 3, 1962, Ser. No. 207,854Claims. (Cl. 22148) This invention relates generally to the packaging ofhosiery, and more paricularly to a uniquely arranged package containinga group of hose from which the individual hose may be withdrawn seriallyor successively as and when they are needed.

By this arrangement of the present invention it is possible to supply apackaged group of hose as a unit in which the hose have been carefullymatched as to size and color and the like, and which accordingly areproperly mated throughout the package, so that any hose withdrawn fromthe package will be exactly suitable for replacing any previouslywithdrawn hose. Also, a hosiery package of this sort may be providedaccording to the present invention that is shaped and proportionedconveniently for carrying in a ladies handbag or traveling case, or forstoring in a bureau drawer, so that the supply of hose may be keptreadily available while remaining protected and neatly arranged in thepackage until needed.

Thus, for example, a group of five hose might be packaged as disclosedby the present invention for purchase as a unit. Upon Wishing to use apair of hose from this packaged unit, a purchaser would withdraw thefirst two hose serially from the package, and leave the remaining threehose therein for subsequent use. As and when either of the initiallywithdrawn hose developed a run or other defect that made it no longerusable, a third hose could then be taken from the remaining supply inthe package to serve as a replacement that had originally been carefullyselected to match the other hose of the initially withdrawn pair; andthe situation would be the same as the need arose in time and in turnfor using the fourth and fifth hose of the supply that had been providedoriginally as a unit. In this way, a substantially longer wear orservice life can be made available with five hose, as an example, thancould be obtained from three pair of hose that were purchased forseparate use; plus the fact that hose purchased by the pair are subjectto tolerance ranges as to size and the like and cannot be depended uponto be exactly matching between pairs.

The foregoing advantages are obtained according to the present inventionby arranging the hosiery package provided so that the packaged group ofhose is enclosed by a packaging container that is formed with awithdrawal aperture, and so that each hose of the group is folded andinterfolded successively or serially with the other hose of the groupfor withdrawal in turn through the container aperture as it is needed;all as described in further detail below in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hosiery package embodying thepresent invention, as such a package would appear when ready forpurchase;

FIG. 2 is a further perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 1 asit would appear with the outer covering sleeve removed therefrom, andwith the first of the packaged hose being removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 is still another perspective view showing the appearance of theFIG. 2 package after the first hose has been removed therefrom;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a stacked group of hose ready 3,193,137Patented July 6, 1965 for folding in preparation for packaging accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a related plan view showing the first hose of the FIG. 4 groupin the course of folding;

FIG. 6 is a further related plan view showing completion of thepreliminary folding of the first hose that is shown started in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the receiving portion of the packagingcontainer structure, together with a liner sheet provided therefor;

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the folded hose of FIG. 6 placed inrelation to the container structure of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a second folded hose of group to bepackaged superimposed on the first hose placed as seen in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the interfolding of the welt portion ofthe first hose over the folded body portion of the second hose;

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the welt portion of the last hose of thepackaged group as it would be overfolded and doubled back upon itself;and

FIG. 12 shows the liner sheet overlapped across the full group of hoseready to have the covering portion of the container structure placedthereon in preparation for adding a covering sleeve to complete apackage as seen in FIG. 1.

As seen in FIG. 1, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprisesa container structure, as indicated generally by the reference numeral10, that is fitted with a suitable covering sleeve 12 on whichappropriate indicia may be arranged, as at 14, in preparing a hosierypackage unit according to the present invention for sales display. Thecovering sleeve 12 preferably has a transparent portion extending overthe previously mentioned withdrawal aperture of the container structure10 (which is indicated at 16 in FIG. 1) so that packaged hosiery may beseen without disturbing the packaged arrangement. A sleeve 12 of thissort, however, oifers the particular advantage of being readilyremovable by a purchaser to expose the container structure 10 alone forsubsequent use in an attractively decorated form that need have no partof the display indicia remaining thereon.

FIG. 2 shows the container structure 10 after the covering sleeve 12 hasbeen removed and the first hose a of the packaged group is about to beremoved therefrom, while FIG. 3 shows the disposition of the second hoseb of the group after the FIG. 2 removal has been completed. Thecontainer structure 10 may have any of a variety of forms desired, butit is conveniently provided (as indicated at the sectioned corner inFIG. 2) with a bottom tray or receiving section 18 over which a topcOVer section 20, having the withdrawal aperture 16 formed therein, istelescoped. Interiorly, the container structure It is fitted with aliner sheet 22 proportioned for disposition therein about the packagedhose and for overlapping at the withdrawal aperture 16 so as to allowaccess therethrough to the hose as illustrated in FIG. 2'. This linersheet 22 is preferably formed of a flexible plastic, such as nylon orpolyethylene, so that it is readily manipulated in gaining access to thehose, and so that the hose are advantageously protected against snaggingor damage as they are withdrawn through the aperture 16.

The manner in which a group of hose is handled for packaging accordingto the present invention in the form indicated above is illustrated inFIGS. 4 through 12 of the drawings. FIG. 4 indicates a stacked set ofhose H laid out in the number to be packaged as a group, which mayadvantageously be an odd number as previously noted; and ready forfolding to form a package. This folding is begun, as illustrated in FIG.5, by doubling back the foot portion of the top hose n of the stack H(which will be the bottom or last hose of the packaged group) and thenredoubling at the leg portion inwardly ture in which it is to bepackaged, while leaving a a top welt portion n of the hose n temporarilyunfolded that is of substantially the same rectangular size'as thefolded portion.

The bottom tray section 13 of the container structure I 10 is thenprepared to receive the hose by having the liner sheet 22 associatedtherewith as indicated in FIG. 7,'and the folded hose n is placedtherein with the top 'welt portion n still unfolded and extending to theright as seen in FIG. 8. Thereupon, the next hose m of the stack Hissimilarly folded, but this time a top weltportion m is left temporarilyunfolded that is approximately twice the size of the folded portion, andthe folded portion of this next hose m is superimposed on that of thefirst folded hose is with the unfolded welt portion m thereof extendingoppositely with respect to the still unfolded welt portion nf of thefirst folded hose n, as. illustrated in FIG. 9. V

When this'next hose m has thus been p t in place, the Welt portion 11 ofthe hosen is then folded inwardly over the folded body portion of thehose m, as indicated 7 in FIG. 10, and the larger unfolded welt portionmf is next folded thereover to assume an extending disposition to theright comparable to that of the welt n in FIG. 8,

so that the folding association can be repeated with the next hose,-andso on'until all of the hose of the'stack H have been added to thepackage group. After the last hose a from the stack H (i.e., the hosethat will be positioned for withdrawal first from the package group) hasbeen-folded and associated withthe other hose, in

the mannerdescribed above, its welt portion a is doubled containerstructure 10, the withdrawal of the first hose a} k that is packagedadjacent the withdrawal aperture 16, is readily accomplished asindicated in FIG. 2 byshnply reaching between the overlapped edges ofthe liner sheet 22 at the container structure aperture 16 and graspinggrasped welt portion a is pulled to withdraw it through the aperture 16,the remaining body of the hose a follows tainer having a Withdrawalaperture formed in one side wall thereof, and a group of folded hosedisposed in said container with the welt portion of the hose of saidgroup adjacent said withdrawal aperture positioned accessibly thereat,with a significant portion of the body of said adjacent hose interfoldedbeneath atop welt portion of the next adjacent hose of said group, andwith every other 'hose of said group successively interfolded in thesame manner. 7 I i V V I 2.,A hosiery package comprising a containerhaving opposed side walls,'and a group ofifolded hose enclosed. betweensaid side walls,one sidewall of said container having a withdrawalaperture formed therein, and the top welt portion of the hose ofsaidgroup adjacent said withdrawalaperture being positioned'accessiblythereat,.v

with a significant portion of the body of said adjacent hose interfoldedbeneath atop welt portion of the next adjacent hose of said group, andwith every other hose of said group successively interfolded in thesamemanner.

3. A hosiery package as defined in claim Z'and further.

characterized in that said withdrawal aperture is generally oval inshape, has the majoraxis of said oval shape extending widthwise withrespect to the welt portion of said adjacent hose positioned thereat,and has an extent along saidrnajor axis that reaches predominantlyacross the container side wall in which it is formed.

4. A hosiery package as defined in claim 2 and further characterized inthat a liner sheet is disposed Within said container about said group offolded hose with edges of said linearsheet overlapped atsaid withdrawalaperture in widthwise relation with respect to the welt portion of saidadjacenthose. V

5. A hosiery package as defined in claim 4 and further characterized inthat said liner sheet is' formed of a flexible .plastic.

6. ,A hosiery'package comprising a container having opposed side wallsand a group of folded hose enclosed withdrawal 'aper'ture beingpositioned accessibly thereat,

between said side walls, one sidewall of said container having awithdrawalapertureformed therein and the top welt portion 'ofthe hoseof.said group adjacent said said adjacent hose having the entire bodythereof folded inwardly beneathsaid top welt portion, said folded bodythe welt portion a that is disposed thereat -When-this portionof saidadjacent hose'being additionally disposed n interfolded relationbeneatha top welt portion of the next adjacent hoseof said group, and saidnextadjacent hose and every other hose of said group being seriallyfolded and interfolded in thesame manner.

7. A hosiery package'asdefined in claim 6 and further characterizedin'that said group of folded hose is constituted by an odd number ofhose. 1

at once because it has been folded upon itself andthe may be tucked backsufiiciently toclose the overlapping edges of the liner sheet 22 over itfor protection,'while being disposed for ready access when it is needed.p

. The present invention has been described in detail above for purposesof illustration only andis not intended to' V be limited by thisdescription or otherwise except as defined in the appended We claim! v ae 1. A hosiery package comprising a container proportionedfor enclosinga group" of folded 'hose, said con-= claims. v V

'8. A hosiery packageas defined in claim 6 and further characterized inthat said container isfitted with a removable covering sleeve extendingcoextensively over said side walls having a transparent portion at saidwith-' 'drawal aperture;

"9. The method of packaging hosiery in a group for serial withdrawalfrom said group which comprises folding the body of each'hoselof saidgroup upon itself to a folded width corresponding to'a desired packagesize,

; superimposing said folded hose'bodies while disposing a significantportion of the folded body of each superimposed hose beneath 'a top weltportionof the hose on 'which'it-is superimposed, and thenenclosing'said' group of hose in a container with the top welt portionof the 7 .last superimposed Those accessible for withdrawal from saidcontainer; V

:10. The method of packaging hosiery which comprises folding a hosebodyupon itself a plurality of times to a folded width corresponding to adesired package size while leaving a topwelt portion, thereof havingsubstantially the same size temporarily unfolded, similarly folding asecond hose body while leaving a top welt portion thereof'temporarilyunfolded that is approximately double said pack age size, superimposingthe folded body of said second hose on that of said first hose with theunfolded welt portion of said second hose extending oppositely Withrespect to that of said first hose, folding the welt portion of saidfirst hose over the folded body of said second hose, folding the weltportion of said second hose over said first hose welt portion andleaving it temporarily unfolded therebeyond, repeating such bodyfolding, superimposing and welt portion folding with additional hoseuntil a desired package group has been formed, then finally doubling theweld portion of the last hose of said group upon itself and enclosingsaid group of hose in a container with the double welt portion of saidlast hose body accessible for withdrawal therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,016,884 2/ 12Gluckman 221-63 1,579,429 4/26 Arms 221--49 1,859,095 5/32 Katzenmoyer206-46 2,080,729 5/ 37 McConnell 221-50 2,519,261 8/50 Lorrance 222632,833,399 5/58 Hartman 206-46 3,000,151 9/61 Winkler et al. 5333,021,002 2/62 Guyer 22l63 X 3,040,488 6/62 Winkler et a1. 53-3 RAPHAELM. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiner.

1. A HOSIERY PACKAGE COMPRISING A CONTAINER PROPORTIONED FOR ENCLOSING AGROUP OF FOLDED HOSE, SAID CONTAINER HAVING A WITHDRAWAL APERTURE FORMEDIN ONE SIDE WALL THEREOF, AND A GROUP OF FOLDED HOSE DISPOSED IN SAIDCONTAINER WITH THE WELT PORTION OF THE HOSE OF SAID GROUP ADJACENT SAIDWITHDRAWAL APERTURE POSITIONED ACCESSIBLY THEREAT, WITH A SIGNIFICANTPORTION OF THE BODY OF SAID ADJACENT HOSE INTERFOLDED BENEATH A TOP WELTPORTION OF THE NEXT ADJACENT HOSE OF SAID GROUP, AND WITH EVERY OTHERHOSE OF SAID GROUP SUCCESSIVELY INTERFOLDED IN THE SAME MANNER.